Alabama finished the season 13–0 and captured the SEC Championship over Georgia behind a fourth-quarter rally led by ousted starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Perhaps the conference title game—which saw the Crimson Tide face their biggest deficit of the season and trail for a majority of the contest—was enough to convince Saban that his team presently isn't the nation's No. 1 team. The result, at the very least, was enough to convince Saban he didn't want his team to face the Bulldogs again.

Or maybe it's a tip of the cap to Swinney, whose teams have faced Saban's in each of the past three postseasons. Clemson, which also finished the regular season 13–0, defeated Narduzzi's Pittsburgh squad comfortably in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday, winning 42–10.

In all likelihood, Saban is trying to motivate his team as it prepares for the College Football Playoff. Alabama and Clemson are on course to potentially meet for a fourth straight season following the release of the final playoff rankings. The Crimson Tide, who were seeded first, will face Oklahoma, while the second-seeded Tigers will face Notre Dame.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban said that some members of his football team might have been affected by draft evaluations before the Crimson Tide's College Football Playoff semifinal loss in the Sugar Bowl to Ohio State.